Where does new home secretary Shabana Mahmood stand on LGBTQ+ rights?

Members of the UK’s queer community are wondering where Shabana Mahmood stands on LGBTQ+ rights, following her promotion in the wake of Angela Rayner’s resignation and last week’s cabinet reshuffle.

Following the announcement of Shabana Mahmood as the first Muslim woman to be home secretary, she said: “It is the honour of my life. The first responsibility of government is the safety of its citizens. Every day in this job, I will be devoted to that purpose.” 

But her record on LGBTQ+ rights gives some cause for concern.

She came under fire in 2019 after raising the issue of LGBTQ+-inclusive lessons being taught in primary schools, claiming in parliament that she was simply reflecting her constituents’ worries over “age appropriateness”.

However, she later insisted: “Nowhere have I said that LGBT relationships should not be taught because that’s not my position. Nowhere have I backed the terrible homophobic banners and hostile protests at [a school in Birmingham] because they are wrong, defeatist and feed the very prejudices I want to help eradicate.”

Mahmood, who voted in favour of same-sex marriage in 2013, added that her concern was solely about how young children, particularly those from religious backgrounds, were introduced to these conversations. 

More recently, as shadow justice secretary, she told The Telegraph that gender-critical groups were “perfectly entitled” to express their views, noting that many people had had to go to court to defend their right to free speech.

People should not lose their jobs for holding views that were “perfectly legal,” including “that biological sex is real and immutable”, she added.

She also said the debate around trans rights and JK Rowling had become “toxic”, and emphasised that legal protections must be available to all.

@pinknews What is the new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights? Following Angela Rayner’s shock resignation, Labour’s latest Cabinet reshuffle put Shabana Mahmood into one of the most powerful jobs in government, that of Home Secretary. But what exactly is her stance on LGBTQ+ rights, and what could her new role mean for LGBTQ+ people in the UK? Back in 2019, Mahmood came under fire after raising concerns in Parliament over LGBTQ+-inclusive lessons being taught in primary schools. She said she was reflecting her constituents’ worries over “age appropriateness”, a position that quickly drew criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates. She later clarified: “Nowhere have I said LGBT relationships should not be taught because that’s not my position. Nowhere have I backed the terrible homophobic banners and hostile protests at Parkfield school – because they are wrong, defeatist and feed the very prejudices I want to help eradicate.” Mahmood, who voted in favour of same-sex marriage back in 2013, added that her concern was solely about how young children, particularly those from religious backgrounds, were being introduced to these conversations. More recently, Mahmood’s comments on gender identity have raised concerns among trans rights campaigners. In a 2024 interview with The Telegraph, while serving as Shadow Justice Secretary, Mahmood voiced support for gender-critical views on sex and gender, saying people are “perfectly entitled” to express them, and noting that many have had to go to court to defend their right to free speech. She argued that people should not lose their jobs for holding views that are “perfectly legal,” including the belief “that biological sex is real and immutable” – a position that Mahmood also agrees with. Mahmood previously said the debate around trans rights and J.K. Rowling had become “toxic”, and emphasised that legal protections must be available to all, stating: “Everyone should be able to take refuge in the laws of our land; they’re there to protect everybody.” While the new Home Secretary has a proven track record on LGBTQ+ rights, including her support for same-sex marriage, her comments surrounding sex and gender identity suggest she could remain a divisive figure in the party. #lgbtqia #uk #ukpolitics #labourparty #homesecretary ♬ News, news, seriousness, tension(1077866) – Lyrebirds music

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